1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small-sized marine craft for use in marine sports or for leisure purposes, which is suited to running about the sea area near the shore under the control of a rider on a deck portion who grips a steering handle bar positioned at the bow portion of the shell from a location on the stern portion. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a construction of the deck of a small-sized marine craft of the type mentioned above to provide grips for a rider to hold himself on the craft.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a small-sized marine craft of the kind described has an engine mounted in an engine room formed in the bow portion of the shell and a propulsion means provided at the stern portion of the same. The rider stands up or sits on a deck portion formed on the shell to the rear of the engine room and grips the steering handle bar on the bow portion of the shell.
The shell has a breadth which is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the shoulder breadth of a rider.
The propulsion means may be a propeller or a pumped water jet. Where a pumped water jet is used, the marine craft can be steered by changing the direction of the jet.
This type of marine craft is generally light in weight and has an excellent running performance. For instance, it can run at a high speed of 50 km/h or so and, therefore, the rider or a fellow rider, if any, sometimes accidentally fall into the water. In the known marine craft, however, the riders, particularly the fellow rider, can find no suitable support to hold on except the steering handle bar, because the marine craft is usually designed to have no projection on the deck to meet the demand for attractive appearance.